Welcome to Kunming, Yunnan's capital and largest city. With day temperatures averaging between 65-72F/18-22C year-round, this is China's "eternal spring city." We can personally attest to the province having the nation's clearest blue skies! Airport transfers included today, and upon check receive a steaming bowl of Crossing Bridge Noodle Soup – Yunnan’s local specialty.

With its lauded Unesco heritage status, Lijiang is a hot tourist spot, but there are actually three designated historic sites under its banner. Largest, and most impressive of Lijiang’s old towns is Dayan, but also its most commercial.

Today begin at Black Dragon Pool, its museum and ancient halls. This is an exquisite park, and time permitting, a short serenade of Naxi music al fresco. We finish at the Naxi cultural museum, and be sure to check out its exquisitee selection of high-grade antiques at the museum gift shop. Lunch in a nearby courtyard eatery, then to Dayan’s Old Town market -- a great place to purchase hand-hammered steamboat fondues and yak yogurt. In the evening drive to Lijiang proper, for views of Dayan (old Lijiang) by night. Dinner is included, then an option of walking the old town streets with our guide, or concert.

Zhongdian is believed to be the real-life model in James Hilton’s classic novel Lost Horizon. Inspired by the stories of Joseph Rock in National Geographic, the author wove a tale about Shangri-La, a lost kingdom on the Tibetan Plateau. Our visit includes a three night stay in deluxe converted Tibetan farm huts. Two floors for every guest, and the room size is enormous.

(The Naxi of Lijiang add walnuts and raw egg.) Our group activities begin at the local market, where you can see myriad wild mushrooms, plus cakes of pu-erh tea, mounds of aged yak butter and yak cheese, well-priced saffron, and cordyceps. The latter is a fusion of caterpillar cum twig, and more expensive than gold. (They also make the most ambrosial chicken soup.) unch is a typical – but delicious – Han style sand-pot rice or noodle cooked over roaring flame. Later, climb Ganden Sumtseling Gompa, a picturesque Tibetan temple of Potala-like design, some 300 years old, and considered the most important in Southwest China. Return to the resort for a brief rest, then in the early evening stroll through the cobble stone streets of Dukezong Old Town, with a history tracing back 1200 years. Be sure to take in the world’s largest Tibetan prayer wheel. Here we’ll eat a communal steamboat dinner, then party with the locals dancing in the streets around small bonfires – very Tibetan style.

After breakfast, take the Blue Moon Valley chair lift up to the mountain peaks of Shika Snow Mountain. There’s two sets of chair lifts and the views are breathtaking – but dress warm. Lunch is with a Tibetan family, then drive around picturesque Napa Lake, which at this time of the year is an ornithologist’s paradise. If the road’s are passable, we’ll also visit Tanwei, Tibetan pottery village. For those wishing to re-visit the old town for last minute sight-seeing and shopping, our driver can drop you off in town, and you can easily return by taxi. Tonight’s gala dinner at the hotel has the chef pulling gout all the stops!

Optional Extension: Ask us about additional nights at the new Angsana Resort on Fuxian Lake. Just an hour’s drive south of Kunming, our exclusive per night package includes airport transfers, deluxe rooms and daily breakfast. Better yet, it’s managed by Banyan Tree, so you know what to expect from their excellent service. (Any guided day trips can easily be arranged at the hotel’s travel/tour desk, and paid for directly there. There is also free daily return shuttle into Kunming city, excluding airport